The verdict in three sentences
For a cybersecurity firm in Miami, part of the shortlist now forms in a conversation with AI assistants like ChatGPT, before the first visit to your website. AI assistants cite firms whose public information is consistent, factual and confirmed by third-party sources: specific services, certifications actually held, an identifiable team, an incident hotline. This work runs $2,500 to $8,000 for an audit on the 2026 market, it is measured with a dated record of answers, and nobody can guarantee being recommended.
What Miami buyers ask AI assistants
Buyers of security services in Miami have a distinct profile: regional headquarters of companies focused on Latin America, fintech and digital assets, healthcare, hospitality and cruise lines, port logistics. Many work in English and Spanish, and some have subsidiaries subject to NIS2 or DORA in Europe. Their questions to AI assistants are specific.
| Question asked to an AI assistant | Buyer profile | What the answer needs to be able to cite |
|---|---|---|
| 'Which firms in Miami do CREST-certified penetration testing?' | CISO at a Brickell fintech | Certifications actually held, a dedicated pentest page |
| 'Who do I call in Miami for emergency ransomware incident response?' | CIO of a hotel group | Published 24/7 hotline, stated response time |
| 'Managed SOC in Spanish and English for a Florida company?' | COO of a Latin America headquarters | Service languages, regions covered |
| 'Which provider helps a European subsidiary prepare for DORA?' | Compliance lead at a payments company | Factual DORA or NIS2 page, no promises |
| 'How much does a web application pentest cost in Miami?' | CTO of a healthcare scale-up | Published ranges or pricing model |
| 'Cybersecurity firms in Miami that support CMMC readiness?' | Defense subcontractor | Experience with the framework, named team |
| 'Difference between MDR and managed SOC for a 200-person company?' | CFO | Educational content signed by an identifiable expert |
Why some firms appear and others do not
AI assistants like ChatGPT build their answers from what is published and repeated across the web. A firm missing from answers often shows the same symptoms.
| Factor | What helps a firm get cited | What makes it disappear |
|---|---|---|
| Consistent information | Same name, address and services on the site, directories and LinkedIn | Old company name or discontinued service still visible elsewhere |
| Third-party mentions | Conferences, industry publications, local professional associations | Only self-promotional content |
| Factual pages | One page per service with scope, general approach, deliverables | A single 'Services' page full of jargon |
| Structured data | Organization, services and contact details marked up | No markup, information locked in images |
| Reviews and references | Verified reviews and case studies published with consent | Client logos without permission, incidents described without consent |
| Freshness | Pages and bios updated within the year | Expired certifications still displayed |
In this sector discretion is a constraint: never publish a client or an incident without written consent, and display certifications (CREST, ISO 27001, SOC 2) only if they are held and current. In the US there is no single federal privacy law, and Florida has its own data breach rules; marketing email falls under CAN-SPAM, and accessibility suits under the Americans with Disabilities Act make a WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 AA target prudent. This is not legal advice.
What this work covers and what it costs
In broad terms, this work covers a baseline of what AI assistants say about the firm on a fixed list of questions, fixing public inconsistencies, clarifying service and compliance pages, structured data and a third-party mention strategy. It is not a recipe to apply alone: the trade-offs depend on your services and your clients.
| Market service | Range (2026 ballpark) | Expected measurement |
|---|---|---|
| One-off AI visibility audit | $2,500 to $8,000 | Dated record of 20 to 40 questions, list of errors |
| Monthly engagement | $2,000 to $6,000 per month | Monthly record, share of answers citing the firm |
| Rewrite of service and compliance pages | $3,000 to $12,000 | Pages published, accuracy of later answers |
| PR and expert content | $2,500 to $7,000 per month | Third-party mentions earned |
| Combined SEO and AEO | $4,000 to $12,000 per month | Inbound enquiries and AI record |
These ranges come from typical agency quotes and public rate pages; the market is young and the spread is wide. At Kolonell this work is on quote after a diagnostic. Measurement rests on three things: a dated record of answers to the same questions over time, the share of answers that mention the firm, and the accuracy of what is said.
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Illustrative example: Brickell Shield Security, a fictional firm of 12 penetration testing and incident response consultants, tracks 25 questions. At baseline, AI assistants cite it in 3 answers, or 12%, and 4 answers contain errors (old address, discontinued service). A $3,000 monthly engagement costs $36,000 a year. An annual incident response retainer is negotiated at around $30,000 to $50,000 in this market (2026 ballpark): a single signed retainer covers the spend at the upper end of that range. Leadership judges the work at 6 months on three numbers: share of citations, remaining errors and qualified enquiries.
FAQ
Do CISOs really use AI assistants to choose a provider?
They mostly use them to build a first list and to understand topics like DORA or CMMC. The final decision stays human, but a firm missing from the 3 or 4 names cited starts at a disadvantage.
Can being recommended by ChatGPT be guaranteed?
No. No provider controls AI answers; what can be done is make your information clearer and more consistent, then measure every month what changes.
How many questions should we track?
Between 20 and 40 questions is enough for a mid-sized firm, in English and Spanish if your clients ask in both languages. The same questions must be asked again on the same dates.
Should we publish our pentest pricing?
A range or pricing model helps AI assistants answer 'how much does it cost' with your name. Many firms publish a starting point, for example from $8,000, without a detailed grid.
How long before we see a change?
The first error corrections sometimes appear within weeks, while the share of citations tends to move over 3 to 6 months. A dated record is the only way to check.
Find out how AI assistants describe your firm. A diagnostic records what AI assistants say about your firm on the questions your Miami buyers ask. Request a diagnostic quote: reply within 48 hours.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
